ethereal05's Full Review: Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
I have always been on the lookout for the perfect powder foundation since despite my efforts to improve my skin, it has always been less than perfect. I would say my skin is very combination since it is always shiny in the forehead and nose, but rather dry/ dehydrated everywhere else. That said, looking for a foundation that will suit the disparate areas of my skin is going to be quite a task but until I find the perfect foundation, I'm going to keep buying MAC StudioFix Foundation.
The Compact
The compact is black with silver-white letters on the cover. Very simple and almost unattractive. The compact is light enough (since I think it is made of plastic? Gee... I'm not very good with packaging materials, but you know what I mean...) but it may not be as flat as some people will like it to be. The reason it is not very flat is that it houses the foundation and a decently thick sponge on different levels in the compact so I'm not complaining.
When you open the compact, there is a mirror (great for touch-ups) and the powder foundation. Simply lift the foundation pan and you get the sponge. I like the design of the product since I bring this compact foundation out for touch-ups as well. So something that houses all I need for a touch-up without being overly bulky is a good thing.
The foundation and how it wears
This is a powder foundation so I remains dry all the time, from the compact to the face. It is supposed to deliver one-step application of foundation and powder (as opposed to a liquid foundation topped of with loose powder).StudioFix is not to be confused with StudioTech which is a cream-to-powder foundation even though this also comes in a similar compact. I'm not sure if StudioFix can be applied with a wet sponge for thicker coverage but I suspect it can because there are "breathing" holes for the sponge to dry at the bottom of the compact. That said, I have never tried applying this product with a wet sponge because the product applied dry covers well enough for most parts of my face.
I would describe this foundation as one that has sheer to medium coverage. This was my personal view until it was confirmed in a local magazine with a MAC advertisement. The effect can be even more sheer if one applies it with a separate powder brush but I find that the sponge works well. Since it provides only moderate coverage, it only evens out the complexion and girls with blemishes and marks will need a separate concealor to cover up all the flaws. (Try MAC Studio Finish Concealor which literally covers every flaw effortlessly.)
I apply the product after the ususal cleansing and moisturizing routine. Since this product does not contain SPF protection, sunblock goes on before the powder. I find that with most other powder foundations, this does not go well without a layer of moisturizer to grab to and can go on dry and cakey. That said, the best way to avoid a cakey or streaky look is to dab on with the sponge, instead of dragging. Next, I apply some concealor with a concealor brush before setting the concealor with a few dabs of MAC StudioFix. Concealor can go on before or after StudioFix but my usual practice is to apply it after foundation.
This foundation wears well without oil or shine for about 4 hours on the T-zone before it needs a light touch-up with the same sponge and powder foundation. However, again, to avoid a cakey appearance, I always blot off oil before the touch-up. Also, I have heard complaints that if one does not blot, the oil will be transferred to the sponge and subsequently onto the powder foundation itself. Yucks. As for the drier parts of my face, it stays put for the whole day. If one takes care to moisturize the dry areas well, this foundation shouldn't aggravate the drier bits.
One word of caution: this is slightly heavier feeling than most powder foundations offered by other high end cosmetic companies. MAC foundations were made to last the harsh lighting on the runways so they have to be a bit heavier than usual. Uf you have tried their Lipglass, you will know what I mean. Their glosses are really thick and sticky, so that they last a longer time and won't just melt into nothing-ness.
MAC StudioFix has been around for a long time and is rather basic (albeit the good coverage) so it pales in comparison to other newer, high-tech foundations like Lancome Photogenic, for example. It has no light refractors, no sun protection and no skincare benefits. What you get is what you are promised with- great coverage, flat matte finish in a shade that is perfect for you.
A note about the Shades available
The last time I checked, MAC StudioFix comes in almost 40 shades. Most MAC foundations come in many shades but because StudioFix is an international bestseller, there are even more shades for this. There is almost a shade for everyone.
MAC foundations shades are labelled with one or two alphabets followed by a number. The number indicates how dark/light the shade is. The alphabet indicates what undertone the foundation is made to suit.
C: for olive skins, or skins with a lot of yellow in them
NC: for yellow-beige undertones
N: Neutral, for beige undertones
NW: for pink-beige undertones
W: for skins with pink undertones.
The bulk of MAC foundations are labelled NC or NW. One hardly sees N around and I suspect they are only available in very selected counters/ outlets. My shade is NC35, which is for medium-toned skins with yellow-beige undertones. The NC range for StudioFix starts with NC15 and goes on to NC60
Studio Fix is a powder and foundation in one that combines good coverage with ease of application. Designed to be used dry, the powder and pigments cr...More at Nordstrom
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.